FD-356 clipping: Seattle P-I 'Nobody Says, But They Must Think He's There' on Lake Merwin search, with jump page

FD-356 (Rev. 7-16-63)

(Mount Clipping in Space Below)

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Sub - B

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Nobody Says, But They Must Think He's There

BY DICK CLEVER P-I Staff

ARIEL, Cowlitz County — The FBI apparently has not changed its theory that "D. B. Cooper," the skydiving plane hijacker, bailed out of a low-flying jetliner somewhere over the area of Lake Merwin, about 16 miles east of I-5.

Aided by 200 troops and nine helicopters from Ft. Lewis, the FBI concentrated its search efforts yesterday in the hills and valleys just above and a few miles below Merwin Dam.

J. Earl Milnes, director of the FBI's Seattle office, directed the search, occasionally taking to the air

himself in an Army observation helicopter.

Amiable, as usual, and uninformative, also as usual, Milnes would only say that "this is a continuation of the search started previously."

An Army spokesman at Merwin Park, where some of the troops were bivouacked, said the 3rd Armored Cavalry is participating in the search as an "adventure exercise."

"This is great training for the men in search and rescue procedures," said Capt. Charles Markham, in response to a question about the cost of the exercise.

Officers directing troop operations

Page A-3, Column 1

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From Page A-1

were equipped with maps that outlined the same area of Cowlitz and Clark counties searched last November.

The maps indicate an elongated diamond-shaped zone divided in the middle by the route the hijacked Northwest Airlines 727 followed after leaving Seattle International Airport for Reno, Nev.

FBI officials said last November that the "drop zone" for the hijacker was determined from a reading of the plane's flight tapes.

If there were any new evidence to justify the massive renewed search, authorities weren't saying. But there was little to indicate any break in the sensational case.

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In the taverns and country stores around Lake Merwin the rumors were exchanged enthusiastically.

At Nick's Tavern, in Amboy, they talked about the kid who came into the Ariel Store with one of the 10,000 twenty-dollar bills paid to "Cooper" as ransom.

"Rumors, only rumors," said the proprietress of the Ariel Store.

Gulping down fried potatoes at Nick's, a local shook his head and smiled. "I wish I'd find the money," he said. "I'd give Cooper a decent burial."

"Haw!" snorted a companion. "If you saw him hanging there in the trees,

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(Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.)

A1 SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Seattle, Wash.

Date: 3/24/72 Edition: Final Author: Dick Clever Editor: Dick Lyall Title: NORJAK

Character: 164-81-[guess: sub] B. or. Classification: Submitting Office: SEATTLE [X] Being Investigated

COPY SENT TO BUREAU SEARCHED _______ INDEXED _______ SERIALIZED _______ FILED _______ MAR 2 4 1972 FBI — SEATTLE

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Searched Serialized Indexed Filed

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DB Cooper-22423

Nobody Will Say So, But FBI Apparently Thinks Skyjacker Is Near Lake Merlin

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ARMY MAJOR DIRECTED TROOPS Had map showing search area

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you'd run the other way." [guess: Another] rumor was that a man chopping wood just below Merwin Dam had found one of the missing bills. And still another had

one of the "Cooper" 20s turning up in Woodland. Milnes denied that any trace of the money has been found. Besides, he said, "You know we don't comment on that." Individual soldiers in- volved in the search said they were looking for a bundle of money, a para- chute or a body. Milnes would give no reason for the timing of the new search effort. He did say that when he visited the area three weeks ago there was still snow on the ground. That would make it especially difficult to spot a parachute. From the conduct of the search, it appears that au- thorities believe "Cooper" did not survive his 10,000- foot leap from the rear exit of the jetliner. Experienced sport chu- tists said, however, that it could be done. The 727, in fact, is considered the only commercial jetliner from which such a jump could be made. Crew members of the plane, which was hijacked on a flight from Portland to Seattle, said Cooper seemed to know about the 727's capabilities. He ordered the plane flown at 200 miles per hour and 10,000 feet — very slow and very low for a jet. When the plane landed in Reno, "Cooper" was gone, as were two of four para- chutes supplied to him by authorities.

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J. EARL MILNES 6 FBI director

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The pilot of the plane said he detected a slight change in the craft's atti- tude as it flew over the area of Cowlitz and Clark counties on a standard Se- attle-to-Reno pattern. And it is in that area that the search will contin- ue. Neither Milnes nor the Army would say for how long. Somewhere in the beauti- ful Lewis River country, they hope to find the earth- ly remains of the man who called himself "D. B. Coop- er." Scouring almost every inch of ground, they may find some trace of the dar- ing hijacker. That is, unless some treasure hunter stumble[d] across the money first [guess: and] gave "D. B. Cooper" a "de- cent burial."

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DB Cooper-22424